Jump to content

Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.


DandV

Featured Posts

1 hour ago, Athy said:

Two different breaches, or the same one which hadn't yet been repaired?

spacer.png

 

Yes just the one breach, WaterwaysWorld was saying that the breach was to be fixed just after my photos at the end of February 1979 and that it had caaused £1m of damage, which would be about £5.8m in today's money.

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Alongside HMS BELFAST in a couple of your photos is the Seawolf Leander Class frigate HMS HERMIONE, affectionately known as Hermi One. The Pool of London is aways a popular visit for RN warships and having Tower Bridge open for you is awesome. It can be a bit interesting from a navigation perspective though, and in '84 a similar frigate had a bit of an altercation with London Bridge, but that's another matter...!  :blush:

HMS Jupiter. The Captain reckoned he could spin the frigate without the assistance of the two tugs on standby. He was wrong.

 

Eg1HJPyXYAM_e6L?format=jpg&name=small

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

59 minutes ago, David Mack said:

HMS Jupiter. The Captain reckoned he could spin the frigate without the assistance of the two tugs on standby. He was wrong.

 

Eg1HJPyXYAM_e6L?format=jpg&name=small

He did....   and he was!

 

Luckily, hardly anyone noticed...  

 

 

(It makes a good photo for all but one observer, doesn't it... :blush:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

He did....   and he was!

 

Luckily, hardly anyone noticed...  

 

 

(It makes a good photo for all but one observer, doesn't it... :blush:)

He really should have taken the wheelhouse down.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

He did....   and he was!

 

Luckily, hardly anyone noticed...  

 

 

(It makes a good photo for all but one observer, doesn't it... :blush:)

Typical RN arrogance but mostly pride damaged plus a bill for the taxpayers. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

Eg1HJPyXYAM_e6L?format=jpg&name=smallHMS Jupiter. The Captain reckoned he could spin the frigate without the assistance of the two tugs on standby. He was wrong.

spacer.pngGosh, the nice Mr Google is wonderful, and offers here from Mick Harris:

 

"I was there. There was a tad more to it than 'declining to use tugs' implies, although still somewhat embarrassing. The Ship's Co were delighted as we were due to head North on a JMC but instead returned to Devonport to rectify the damage."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On this day in 2005

spacer.png

 

spacer.pngStockton Top Marina. Rebuilding of Odyssey after the June fire.

Compare

#4242 (17Nov2005)  #4172 (12Nov2005)

#3515 (23Sept2005)  #2181 (30June2005)

The front cabin (smaller pic) had been unaffected and needed no remedial work. The engine and engine room was stripped back to the shell and refitted. Similarly the back cabin above, for which the specification was to rebuild as it was. Sadly nobody told the people doing the job. They were used to cruiser sterns and built this cabin without anywhere to stand to steer. They also had the side cupboards open to the elements. The top bunks, which fold down to make this sitting area, were built fixed. They had been for adults and were initially built six inches too narrow, and the replacement cushions are too narrow for the bunks to this day. The speakers had been connected to the front cabin music system but that wasn't done and we compromised on a separate radio. Such are the tribulations of building boats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Athy said:

How did you resolve these problems, particularly having nowhere to stand? Did the fitters come back and "make good"?

spacer.pngspacer.png

 

Lots of boating issues give way to having money thrown at them, and on this occasion there were twelve owners, a management company, the boatyard and some insurers who could argue among themselves. It was done well in the end, with the amendments and an extra week's work.

 

These pictures from November show the fixed bunks, open storage sides, steps directly to the back deck (and no steering position)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, John Liley said:

The Moselle again. If you are sitting behind in a lock it pays to stay tethered until the wash dies down.

PICT0450.jpg

Come across this a few times, once on the Seine behind a pusher hung on to the rope with engine running until he was out of the lock and then had real struggle flicking the rope off whilst the waiting barges were obviously getting impatient. It’s worse trying to get in to these big locks when they’ve all got the props turning.

On the Yonne this barge went out whilst we stayed tied but he threw up something hard which knocked a lump off our prop when we started to move.

C4C739C8-2DCF-43EC-8DF6-3CFC59E0CAFB.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

More than one as a MN officer and reservist

Having spent more time than I would have wished protecting tankers in the Gulf and escorting them through the Straits of Hormuz, and pretending to be interested whilst being shown countless samey-samey engine rooms of British merchantmen around the world for the sake of making them feel loved and supported, I'd have to say I'm a bit disappointed to be tarred with that brush.

 

As with any walk of life, there are a few dicks wearing the Queen's uniform, but I'd like to think far fewer than in most organisations. In my experience, it took a special effort for someone to stay a dick when surrounded by matelots ready and able to point it out in the starkest terms! ;)

 

  • Greenie 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My experience was in the late 50s and 60s when the RN officers were probably then of the shall we say old style public school boys. I sailed with an ex Rn lieutenant commander who had been invalided out after the Korean War and was now  2nd mate on a Shell Tanker he was some case and one night refused to alter course when challenged by Ark Royal. As we were all light up and they were in darkness they could see our name and when we arrived Thameshaven there was a very senior Shell official wanting details but he kept his job.

The conversation with Ark Royal when like this We are an aircraft carrier with 4 escorts please keep clear. He replied this is a shell tanker with four lifeboats and 25000 tons of av gas advise you keep clear.

 

  • Greenie 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Dav and Pen said:

My experience was in the late 50s and 60s when the RN officers were probably then of the shall we say old style public school boys. I sailed with an ex Rn lieutenant commander who had been invalided out after the Korean War and was now  2nd mate on a Shell Tanker he was some case and one night refused to alter course when challenged by Ark Royal. As we were all light up and they were in darkness they could see our name and when we arrived Thameshaven there was a very senior Shell official wanting details but he kept his job.

The conversation with Ark Royal when like this We are an aircraft carrier with 4 escorts please keep clear. He replied this is a shell tanker with four lifeboats and 25000 tons of av gas advise you keep clear.

 

Reminds me of this old chestnut:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-obstinate-lighthouse/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.